The two kinds of
energy, sentient and insentient are characterized in specific
ways. Sentient has the innate quality of conscious awareness.
Though consciousness itself may not be seen, wherever it exists,
in all living forms of matter, you see growth. Even a tiny plant
inhales and exhales, absorbs food and gives off waste, grows and
decays. Sentient energy is the cause of the process. A plant
which is not watered and cared for will wither. If you feel
compassion for it and water again, see how it smiles! See the
response!

Watch a newborn leaf attached to its
mother tree. As it grows, it changes in size, texture, and
color. Sometimes it starts out with pinkish veins which mature
into mellow green; it gives off a fresh smell Connected to the
tree, it is full of the sap of life. Once it drops from the tree,
it becomes dry. Its conscious indweller has departed and only
insentient matter remains.

This sentient energy in plants or
animals may not appear to be as evolved as ours. It may seem to
be merely a dim version of what we manifest, but it is
consciousness. If plants or animals did not have consciousness,
they would not move or grow. The procedure of the life cycle is
the same in all. When that sentient in us departs from this body,
the body becomes an empty shell, dry inanimate matter.

Consciousness in the main criterion of
all sentient energy which is known as atma. Where we donít see
consiousness, that is called insentient matter, or pudgala, that
which fillls up (pud) and empties (gaka). It is existing, not
living. For example, the outer forms of earth, water, fire, and
air are like shells; they are insentient substances. Their atoms
do not manifest awareness, but they have certain properties such
as color, form , taste, odor, and tangibility.

The vibrations of insentient are
measurable, belonging to a mathematically precise material world.
They rante from coarse to fine, of which the coarse can be
observed, detected, or felt by our senses, while the fine are hard
to detect. For example, billions of atoms and molecules are
moving unseen in the air. Though they do not obscure our vision,
they fill a whole atmosphere. At times, insentient vibrations
have so much power that they may cover, influence, or change the
level of a personís mental state. Alcohol, marijuana, opium and
other drugs are powerful forms of such inanimate energy. Once
such an energy is allowed to penetrate the body, it starts working
on the system and dominating the mind. Once it has gone so far as
to burn the brain cells, it is difficult for atma to reassen dead
cells and effect a positive change.

Assert itself it must, however, for
the vibrations of sentient are not meant to remain
dominated,influenced, and encased by matter. In the company of
ignorance, greed, anger, or other impure matter- dominated states,
sentient vibrates at a low frequenocy, limited by a distorted
mind. Therein lies our work to refine the mind, to prepare it to
be an accurate reflector and transmitter of brilliant light of
human consciousness. That is the proacive role of atma while it is
in this body.

Through gradual exposure to right
knowledge through the consistent practice of meditation, atma
prevails. It can change, bend melt, evaorate, or burn away the
impure vibrations which condition negative mental states.
Negativity is replaced by positivity, and eventually, the
vibrations of sentient, which are immaterial and therefore
immeasurable, claim their innate capacity to extend outward
infinitely, embracing the entire universe of life.

Once the vibrations of atma are
purified to this highest degreee, they are, really speaking,
radiations of pure energy. The human mind is merely a tiny
portion of this mighty power. Just as the sun gives off rays of
warm light and nourishes the universe, so purified atma rediates
from, its equanimous center beams of universal love and nourishes
life with peace and bliss.

Motion and Rest

In addition to matter which is
tangible, there are four other classifications of insentient
energy which are intangible. They are abstract principles:
movement, rest space, and time.

Both soul and matter function
and rest gives rise to an alternating process, serving the
function of balance in the material world. With only motion,
there would be no gravitational pull, and with only rest, nothing
would move. Both principles are merely auxiliary causes to the
actual moment and rest of soul and matter. What actually
initiates the process is the impact created and received by
particles perpetually alternating between movement and rest. They
are perpetually striking each other and setting off a chain
reaction, like the chimes of china. The result of this impact is
reflected in the continuous recycling of natureís elements, in the
process of molecules joining together and separating from one
another ad infinitum.

Whereas the
insentient process has no aim to its movement other than the
integration and disintegration of molecules, sentient has a
direction. Soul energy wants to sprout upward like a flame until
it has reached its destination of freedom. When sentient moves,
it takes the direction of its lifeís quest-to uncover its reality,
to live in a state of complete knowledge, to reverl its blissful
loving nature. Its upward movement comes to rest only when it
attains its highest peak, its point of fruition of liberation.
For that it has to complete its mission, fulfill its commitment
to the world of living beings, and smooth all the rough edges of
heart.

Space

According to this
ancient philosophy, space is that which gives space to all
substances, allowing them to move and evolve and live according to
their own nature. It applies to the internal sace as well as to
ther external world. In meditation, you become aware of your
inner space, your inner life. You touch it when you touch your
breath. Inwardly you feel the peace which comes with the
increasing of spacious space you feel your entire body to be
filled with this feeling Naturally you allow yourself too
transcend the awareness of bodily boundaries and to create
expansive space all around you. You drop the walls, barriers,
forms and feel yourself merging with all life. You feel the
living connection between you and all living beings.

In your awareness,
the clutter is cleared away. Nothing remains to fight for; there
is no tug of war between opposing viewpoints. You merge and blend
with all in infinite space. This is the experience which the
philosophy is leading you to-to feel oneness. This is the
experience of individuality-as indivisible and indestructible,
merged in the bliss of having opened your space to universal
space, of having opened you life to the life in all.

Time

When you go on
this transcendent level, you are not measuring or noticing time,
and you are not feeling the bounds of body. The function and
power of these two are no longer controlling you. Just as to the
sun, there is no such thing as darkness, so to you. Living in you
pure nature, there is no limitation of any kind. You are
experiencing your immortal essence. Only on the worldly existence
level, relative to the process of composition and decomposition of
molecules, does time exist as a sequence. Times relative,
relative to your naya, your viewpoint, your perception. When
you are engaged in something you love to do, time seems very short
or nonexistent, and when you are doing something you do not like,
time seems to drag. So you have to know from which level you are
viewing life and then there is no quarrel as to whether time does
or does not exist.

Thought becoming
aware of these five categories of insentient energy-matter,
motion, rest space, and time-you come to realize that only the
indweller is conscious, using these five to further its spiritual
evolution. Knowing this, you will watch carefully the way each
process you take in life can help you to break your fetters and
flow in a purposeful direction. You will choose that process or
that path which will become conducive to your growth. When it is
right, you will have the unmistakable feeling of moving toward
your destination. This is the result of directed movement of
sentient energy. You will not circulate aimlessly in the world,
but you will move with purpose and with a deep sense of your
relationship with the universe.